Rafael Betancourt, 38, is encouraged by his recovery from elbow surgery. He hopes to pitch this season. (Associated Press)

Rafael Betancourt couldn’t live with the uncertainty. There was path to retirement after he he tore his right elbow ligament last Aug. 22.

“But I didn’t want to wonder what if?” Betancourt said on Friday morning.

The 38-year-old elected to undergo surgery and said Friday that his recovery is advancing as planned. He will visit Dr. James Andrews next week, and should begin throwing soon after the exam. Betancourt plans to visit the Rockies for two weeks in spring training in March, and hasn’t given up on pitching during the 2014 season. The Los Angeles Dodgers contacted him as a free agent, but he’s committed to returning with Colorado.

It won’t be long before the Rockies begin spring training. Pitchers and catchers report to Salt River Fields on Feb. 15. Bench coach Tom Runnells will be among those throwing BP to the pitchers and position players, who report on Feb. 21 with their first workout on Feb. 23. (Photo By John Leyba/The Denver Post)

The Rockies are in a different position this winter. Most of their offseason goals have been addressed, leaving them seeking depth on low-risk deals over the next six weeks.

To that end, right-hander Richard Castillo has agreed in principle on a minor-league deal with a contract likely official soon. Castillo, 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, is a former Cardinals prospect. The 24-year-old went 7-9 with 4.59 ERA in 21 starts for Double-A Springfield last season, and 1-2 with a 1.93 ERA with Triple-A Memphis, both Cardinals’ farm teams.

He’s expected to provide depth in spring training and at Triple-A. The Rockies’ first four rotation spots appear set — Jorge De La Rosa, Jhoulys Chacin, Brett Anderson, Tyler Chatwood — with Juan Nicasio, Franklin Morales and Jordan Lyles vying for the final slot.

My Hall of Fame ballot. I used all 10 spots this year. (Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post).

Voting for the Hall of Fame is a wonderfully challenging exercise, an obstacle course of statistics and debates.

When I color in the box next to a player’s name, I am endorsing his career for the highest individual honor possible. It’s not about one season, or snippets of years, but the body of work. My ballot is not perfect. I am not sure one exists.

I have not endorsed known steroid users, and that did not change this year. My standard, which will be understandably questioned, is to leave out those who tested positive, admitted using or have an avalanche of evidence against them through federal investigations.

So I said no to Barry Bonds – I am not sure how you could read “Game of Shadows,” detailing Bonds’ detailed drug regiment and conclude he wasn’t using – Roger Clemens, Rafael Palmeiro and Sammy Sosa. I realize my logic will be criticized with those insisting that my ballot does include PED users. They could be right. But I am not basing my vote on speculation or rumors.

Justin Morneau has incentive to stay healthy and remain a Rockie. Boone Logan, in getting the richest contract ever given a reliever by the Rockies, backloaded his deal to give the team some elasticity in its budget.

This was learned from contract details obtained by The Denver Post on Monday.

Morneau, who will take over for legend Todd Helton, signed a two-year, $12.5-million deal that breaks down as follows: $5 million in 2014, $6.75 million in 2014 with a $9 million mutual option for 2016. The option can be voided with a $750,000 buyout. Morneau also can make an additional $500,000 this season if he reaches 550 at-bats and finishes the season on the active 25-man roster. There are also boosts for finishing in the top-10 in the MVP voting and standard postseason bonuses. Morneau is no hurry to be traded either. He must be paid a $375,000 assignment bonus if dealt.

Justin Morneau definitely has a number he’d like to wear for the Rockies, and it traces to his childhood.

He grew up in British Columbia idolizing Larry Walker. He played on Larry Walker Field as a kid. Walker, as Morneau put it during Friday’s conference call, showed him that it was possible to be a big leaguer. He and Walker are friends as Walker served as his hitting coach in the World Baseball Classic. Morneau would like to don No. 33 as a tribute to Walker. It’s likely that the Rockies will retire Walker’s number at some point, though Todd Helton is expected to be the first, according to owner Dick Monfort’s wishes last September.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Rockies inspire criticism like no other pro Colorado sports team. It’s the result of three straight losing seasons and consecutive last-place finishes in the National League West.

However, they did enjoy a rather productive winter meetings, a place where they have typically been shut out because of their tight budget and reluctance to trade prospects.

They acquired Brett Anderson — “An impact starter,” said assistant general manager Bill Geivett — signed first baseman Justin Morneau — he was in Denver on Wednesday and his deal should become official Friday or Monday — and left Thursday feeling confident they would sign a left-handed reliever like J.P. Howell or Boone Logan.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The pursuit of Sean Marshall provided a glimpse of the Rockies’ top priority as the winter meetings begin winding down. They are actively trying to sign a left-handed reliever after the Marshall deal dissolved on Tuesday and have had active discussions regarding free agent J.P. Howell.

The Rockies have expressed interest in multiple free agents from the group that includes Howell, Oliver Perez, Boone Logan, Scott Downs and Eric O’Flaherty, whom many expect to return to the Braves.

While Colorado remains interested in Michael Morse and Michael Young, the focus is on adding a bullpen arm with the remaining money available to spend. The Rockies have strong interest in right-handed reliever Joaquin Benoit, but were convinced by today that he was too pricey. He’s looking for $7 million per season and is expected to get it.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Rockies have had multiple talks with the Reds about left-handed reliever Sean Marshall as they seek ways to improve an overworked bullpen.

The deal appeared close on Monday night, but is idling now. Marshall, a 6-foot-7, 225-pounder, was one of the National League’s most durable and effective relievers from 2010 through 2012, appearing in 231 games. However, he was limited to 16 games a year ago because of shoulder issues. Marshall, 31, is under contract for the next two seasons at $12 million. That’s a reasonable figure, if he’s healthy.

Right-handed reliever LaTroy Hawkins was signed to serve as the team’s closer. If the Rockies are successful in making a trade, he could have help in the bullpen. (David Zalubowski, The Associated Press)

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — It has been rather surprising that the Rockies have not called on free agents John Axford or Carlos Marmol given their interest in hard-throwing relievers. It’s likely because they are going to address their bullpen need through a trade. Multiple baseball executives said the Rockies were pushing hard to acquire a reliever on Monday night, which has become the preferred path given the asking price for targets like Joaquin Benoit and Grant Balfour.

The Rockies have been looking for a late-inning arm to pair with free agent acquisition LaTroy Hawkins after their bullpen finished last season with a National League-worst 4.23 ERA. The plan, initially, is for Hawkins to close and Rex Brothers to serve as the setupman. Adding another power arm would give the Rockies more flexibility in how they use Brothers, and also cast Wilton Lopez in a less prominent role. The Rockies retained Matt Belisle, but his struggles last season suggest that he could fit better in the seventh inning, where Adam Ottavino is a candidate to work.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Even if the Rockies make moves at the winter meetings, there is nothing more important to their 2014 success than the health of their star players. Carlos Gonzalez eased fears and provided a sliver of good news Monday, telling The Denver Post that his sprained right middle finger “felt really good” after swinging for the first time this offseason.

Colorado Rockies left fielder Carlos Gonzalez is likely to switch to center field this season. He is multiple Gold Glove winner. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

Gonzalez elected to avoid surgery to fix the torn ligament, opting for complete rest because there were concerns that an operation would limit the finger’s flexibility. Gonzalez took 50 swings off the batting tee at Coors Field on Monday, and plans to take batting practice later this week. His preference is not to adjust his swing or how he holds the bat because he doesn’t want to compromise his power.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Not sure about the Happiest Place on Earth, but the Disney Dolphin Resort will be the busiest this week. The major league baseball winter meetings began on Monday, the lobby clustered with reporters, agents and executives.

In a change of pace, the Rockies are expected to be active this week, searching for a bullpen arm, a starter and bench help. Colorado has talked to nearly every hard-throwing, free-agent reliever. Joaquin Benoit and Grant Balfour are the most coveted by the Rockies, but the price tag will likely preclude a Rockies’ bid. Benoit is seeking in excess of Joe Smith’s $15-million contract with the Angels, and Balfour could get $24 million over three years if the market falls correctly for him.

The Rockies search for Todd Helton’s replacement has left them focusing on Justin Morneau. Morneau is considered a strong defender, and a weapon against right-handed pitching. (Denis Poroy, Getty Images)

Justin Morneau won American League MVP honors in 2006. He finished second in 2008. He’s not that guy.

Justin Morneau won the Home Run Derby in 2008 at Yankee Stadium, something everyone forgets because of Josh Hamilton’s breathtaking performance in the preliminary rounds. He’s not that guy.

But can Morneau be a guy who helps the Rockies? It’s possible for a number of reasons.

First, he’s a realistic target. Unlike their failed bids for Jose Abreu (six-year, $63-million), Carlos Ruiz (two-year, $15 million with club option) and Brian McCann (unknown, but likely in the $60 million range), the Rockies are not competing with big market clubs for Morneau. No White Sox, no Phillies, no Yankees. At least not publicly.

Colorado Rockies retired player Eric Young (right) Dallas Young 6-years-old and Eric Young Jr. pose for a photo after throwing out the first pitch prior to their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks last season (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

The Rockies’ coaching vacancies were filled Tuesday, featuring a blast from the past and an out-of-the-batter’s-box choice.

Eric Young Sr., who hit the first home run at Mile High Stadium, one of the most memorable in Rockies’ history, returns to the Rockies as their first base and base running coach. Blake Doyle takes over as the hitting instructor despite having no professional coaching experience.

Young has remained friends with Rockies manager Walt Weiss since the pair played together in the mid 1990s. Young worked two years as the Diamondbacks first base coach and spent last year as a pregame and postgame TV analyst for the Astros. He made the all-star team in 1996 for the Rockies, stealing 53 bases. He swiped 465 bases in his 15-year big league career.

After striking out on aggressive plays for Jose Abreu, Brian McCann and Carlos Ruiz, the Rockies continue exploring multiple options to land an impact bat and bullpen arms. They have talked with the Angels about slugger Mark Trumbo, who will be hard to pry away, and called the Royals about their surplus of relievers.

A year after luring manager Walt Weiss away from Regis High School, the Rockies are considering an out-of-the-batter’s-box hire for the hitting instructor’s job. Former minor league infielder Blake Doyle has emerged as a strong candidate for the position after interviewing with the Rockies, according to multiple sources close to the situation.

Colorado manager Walt Weiss. (Karl Gehring, Denver Post file)

Doyle, 59, played nine years in the minor leagues as an infielder from 1972 to 1980, finishing with Triple-A Indianapolis. He joined brothers Denny and Brian, former big leaguers, to start Doyle Baseball in 1978, a Florida-based baseball school that runs development camps and helps stage showcase events for amateur players. Doyle Baseball lists 42 big league alums, including free agent Raul Ibanez and former Rockies Jeff Baker and Charles Johnson.

Doyle is known as a strong communicator and has served as a guest motivational speaker. Weiss has known Doyle for years, attending their events, most recently with his son Brody, a shortstop at Cal-Santa Barbara.

In this April 21, 2011, file photo, Major League Baseball Players Union head Michael Weiner speaks at a news conference in New York. (Frank Franklin II, Associated Press file)

I only talked with Michael Weiner on a handful of occasions. I left feeling smarter, always happy I took the time. Weiner had this impact on a lot of people, whether they were close friends, colleagues, players or adversaries.

He made the complex sound simple without a trace of arrogance. He never spoke down to you. He made you feel important, whether you were a sports writer or a first-year player on a 40-man roster. He made you feel comfortable, almost always dressed in polo shirts, jeans and Chuck Taylor low tops. He never made it personal, a difficult skill when his job was to keep labor peace and interpret legal documents as the players union boss.

With his wife Diane and three daughters by his side, Weiner passed away Thursday night after a 15-month battle with brain cancer. He was 51.

Reliever LaTroy Hawkins was open to returning to the Rockies for multiple reasons. They were willing to give him a shot at closing, at least initially, though Rex Brothers figures to see plenty of time in the role. The Rockies also provided a backdrop that brings on goosebumps.

“I have great memories there,” Hawkins said last week before agreeing to a one-year, $2.5-million deal on Monday that should become official on Thursday following a physical. “That place will always be special (because of) Rocktober.”

LaTroy Hawkins’ memories of Rocktober didn’t hurt when he considered Colorado’s $2.5-million free agent offer. His deal is expected to become official on Thursday following a physical. (The Denver Post, A Magical Season).

Hawkins was a trusted member of the 2007 bullpen, serving as a setupman for Brian Fuentes and later rookie Manuel Corpas. He turns 41 next month, making him the oldest reliever in Rockies’ history. However, the 6-foot-5, 220-pounder has pitched some of his best baseball the past three seasons, posting a 2.96 ERA over 161 innings. He worked 72 games for the Mets last year, though 60 to 65 appearances seems a more reasonable projection in Denver.

Hawkins is remembered by teammates for his leadership in 2007. Former Rockies outfielder Cory Sullivan referred to him as key figure last week, calling him “someone who was invaluable” in the clubhouse.

Former Giants and Dodgers’ reliever Brian Wilson is among the long list of hard-throwing relievers the Rockies are pursuing in free agency. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

The Rockies began the offseason by unsuccessfully opening the vault for a Cuban defector, leaving them facing a winter of detractors.

It’s an outgrowth of the standings: The fans see a team that has finished in last place in consecutive seasons and places second regularly for free agents. This isn’t always the case. The Rockies won the bidding for outfielder Michael Cuddyer two years ago, reaping the reward of his three-year, $31.5-million contract when he won a batting title, a Silver Slugger and earned an all-star berth last season.

He represented their biggest free agent outlay since Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle received combined deals worth $175.3 million in December 2000. That’s why the $63 million offer to Jose Abreu, who received $68 million from the White Sox, a team with his former Cuban teammates, was intriguing. It represented a bold move, absent for more than a decade.

This much is known: The Rockies have roughly $9 million to spend, if no one is traded (like outfielder Dexter Fowler), to upgrade their roster. There are multiple possibilities given that the team is open to trades, and recognizes areas that need obvious help:

Colorado Rockies retired player Eric Young (right) Dallas Young 6-years-old and Eric Young Jr. pose for a photo after throwing out the first pitch prior to their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks last season (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

The Rockies are moving closer to filling their two coaching vacancies with Eric Young Sr. emerging as as a strong candidate for the first base job, according to a source close to the situation.

Colorado is also leaning toward hiring an outside candidate for the hitting instructor position, left open when Dante Bichette resigned after one season to spend more time with his family. Young is the most accomplished base stealer in Rockies’ history, swiping 180 bags in five seasons from 1993-1997. He stole 53 in 1996, making the National League all-star team. Young has experience coaching at the big league level, working two seasons as the Diamondbacks first base coach from 2010-12 and serving as a roving instructor for the Astros.

Rockies catcher Wilin Rosario is playing in the Dominican Republic this winter for a handful of games, sharpening his defense. If the Rockies don’t sign Carlos Ruiz, Wilin Rosario will likely return as the Rockies’ starting catcher. (Denver Post file photo)

The Rockies made their bid for free agent catcher Carlos Ruiz on Monday night, offering a two-year deal with an option for approximately $15 milion, but leaving them short of their competition.

Their chances of landing the catcher, who will turn 35 in January, nosedived when the Rockies were told he has a two-year, $20-million proposal on the table from another team. Colorado will not reach that number, a source with direct knowledge of their talks said on Tuesday. Until Ruiz signs, the Rockies will hold pat, hoping he considers their bid. Their reluctance to go higher on Ruiz is related directly to his age.

Ruiz is a strong defender, and the Phillies’ pitchers have asked management to keep him. He has found a robust market with the Red Sox and Blue Jays also interested.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.